Suspect In Double Stabbing Found Near Scene

EAST HARTFORD — A suspect in a double stabbing was arrested early Tuesday after police found him asleep near the scene.

After using a bullhorn to try to make contact with Bernard L. Wiggs, police found him in a Brookside Commons Apartment hallway, they said. A resident of the Main Street apartment complex had called police to report that a man was in the hallway of building 5F, apparently sleeping.

Wiggs was charged in the Monday incident with two counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault, police said. Later Tuesday in Manchester Superior Court, his bond was set at $100,000 and his case continued to June 16. Police are continuing their investigation.

The victims had stab wounds and were in stable condition at Hartford Hospital on Tuesday night, police and hospital spokesmen said. One received a stab wound to the kidney, which appeared at the time to be life-threatening, Lt. Mike Fowich said. Their names are Mark Haslem, 32, whose last known address is 453 Main St., and Kenya Eastmond, also 32, of 170 Brewer St.

Long after police woke him up, Wiggs, 36, told them he was struck with a putter by a man named ``Kenyon'' and was punched while in his Brookside Commons apartment, 9C2, a police report states. He also told police his brother was punched by three men in the apartment's front hallway.

Police were called to the scene at about 9:30 p.m. Monday, and received information that Wiggs was a suspect. Members of the department's emergency response team evacuated several apartments.

Negotiators tried to contact Wiggs by bullhorn shortly before midnight because his telephone was out of order. Then, at about 12:15 a.m., police learned that a man may be sleeping in the hallway of building 5F.

Officers Chris Connolly, Lee Griffin and Lt. James Hankard went to the rear of the building while others went to the front hallway. Hankard opened the back door to the hallway.